Knitting machine



Sept. 25, 1951 G. E; HENNING KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l/VVENTOR 6. Hf/V/W/VG ATTORNEY r qf' G. E. HENNING KNITTING MACHINE Sept. 25, 1951 5 sheets sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1946 ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1951 I e. E. HENNING 2,568,806

KNITTING MACHINE v v 3 Sheets-sheaf. 5

Filed July 10, 1946 3 v I //v VEN 70R mBY A 7:TORNE Y Patented Sept. 25, 1951 KNITTING MACHINE George E. Henning, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric ,Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application-July 10, 1946, Serial No. 682,619

Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to knitting machines for knitting strands into fabrics around moving cores.

In the past, there have, beenused knitting machines including knitting heads having needle guide cylinders provided with radial guide slots for guiding knitting needles. The knitting heads are rotated as a conductor isadvanced therethrough, and the needles are reciprocated up and down in the radial guide slots and are directed radially outwardly from the cylinder. Stationary guides serve to guide strands to the knittin needles, which engage the strands one after another. As the needle guide cylinder and the needles are rotated, the strands are drawn through the guides, and the portions thereof between the .guides and the needles by which they are engaged lie in planes chordal to the cylinder. Hence, these portions of the strands are not in planes transverse to the directions the hooks .of the needles point when the hooks are about to engage thestrands. Consequently, the hooks. sometimes "fail to engage the strands and thereby cause imperfections in fabric knitted by the needles. Another-source of difficulty in the past has been thatthe hooks of the knitting needles are drawn into the guide slots'and draw the strands into-the guide slots, whereby the strands are sometimes abraded by the edges of the guide slots.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved knitting machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved knitting machines for .knitting strands into fabrics on .moving cores .without imperfections in the .fabric and without abrasion of'the strands during the knitting operations.

A knitting machine illustrative of the inventionincludes a knitting head, which is provided with a plurality of knitting "needles'having forwardly directed'hooks anda needle guide cylinder having a plurality of slots which extend laterally along portions of chords of the guide cylinder. The needlesare mountedfor reciprocation inthe slots, andhave-hooks which move in and out of the upper ends of the .slots. The upper ends of the slots are enlarged so that strands drawn into the upper ends of the slots by the hooks are not abraded by the edges of the slots. 'The knitting head is rotated in a predetermined direction and strands are guided by stationary guides to the knitting head. The guide slots in the :guide cylinder are all laterally directed somewhat in the direction of rotation of the guide cylinder so that the hooks of the needles are directed substantially transversely to the direction in which the strands are drawn from the stationary guides. Hence, there is a more effective hooking action of the hooks upon the strands than there is in knitting machines having hooks directed more parallel to the strands.

A knitting machine forming a further embodiment of the invention includes a knitting head provided with knitting, needlesv and a needle guide cylinder having guide slots formed therein. The needle guide cylinder is relieved at the upper portion thereof so that the books of the knit- -;ting'needles are not. drawn into the slots. Hence,

loops of strands formed by the knitting needles are not drawn into the slots in the guide cylinder, and abrasion of the strands forming the loops is prevented.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of knitting machines forming specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, front elevation of a knitting machine forming one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical view of the knitting machine shown in Fig. 1 with parts thereof shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation of a portion of the knitting machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation of a portion of the knitting machine shown in Fig. 1; 7

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation taken along line 6-6 of Fig. !3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top plan.

. '7 having a portion thereof broken away.

hollow tubular shaft 1;! (Fig. 2), through which.

tubular shaft 2. capstan I8 (Fig. 1) advances a conductor 20. The knitting machine is also provided with a knitting mechanism 2| (Fig. 2) which includes a jack cylinder for guiding needle jacks 26. The jack cylinder 25 is provided with a plurality of guides 21 for guiding the needle jacks, which are provided with butts 28 engaged by Wobbler cams 29. The jack cylinder 25 is rotated by the hollow tubular shaft H, and, as it rotates, the needle jacks 26 are rotated therewith and the Wobbler cams 29 reciprocate the needle jacks up and down, as viewed in Fig. 2, in the guides 21.

A needle guide cylinder 36 is mounted rigidly with respect to the jack cylinder 25 and is rotated therewith. The needle guide cylinder serves to guide needles 3| to 44 (Fig. 3), inclusive, and carries them therewith. The needles have nibs (Fig. 2), which fit into slots 5| formed in the needle jacks 26 and are also provided with straight shanks 52 (Fig. 5) and hook 53. The needles have slots 54 therein at the junctures of the hooks 53 and the straight shanks 52, and pins 55 secure latches 56 pivotally to the junctures of the hooks 53 and the shanks 52. The hooks 53 are provided with straight shank portions 59, which angle in the directions the hooks point from the straight shanks 52 so that hook portions 6| of the hooks 53 project forwardly in the directions in which they are pointed more than they would if the shank portions 66 of the hooks were not directed angularly with respect to the shanks 52.

The needle guide cylinder 39 (Fig. 3) is provided with non-radial guide slots 62 for guiding the needles 3| to 44, inclusive. The upper portions of the guide slots 52 are provided with enlarged portions 63 at the upper end of the needle guide cylinder, as viewed in Fig. 4. Strands, illustrated by strands H and 12 (Fig. 3), are knitted by the knitting needles 3| to 44, inclusive, into a fabric 19 around the conductor 20, and are drawn from cop I3 (Fig. 1) supported by cop holders [4. The strands are drawn over intermediate guides 80 from the cops 13 to the knitting mechanism 2| by the knitting needles, and the downward movement of the conductor 29, which draws the fabric in therewith. The strands pass from the intermediate guides to guides, illustrated by guides 8| and 82 (Fig. 3),

which are positioned above the needle guide cylinder 30, as viewed in Fig. 6, and are positioned almost directly over the outer periphery of the needle guide cylinder.

In the operation of the knitting machine described hereinabove, the jack cylinder 25 (Fig. 2) and the needle guide cylinder 36 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. This rotation causes the needle jacks 26 to be reciprocated up and down, as viewed in Fig. 2, and the needles 3| to 44, inclusive, are reciprocated up and down and knit the strands into the fabric upon the conductor. Each of the non-radial guide slots 62 is directed along equally spaced and equal length chords of the needle guide cylinder 30 and face markedly in the direction of rotation of the needle guide cylinder so that each of the hook portions 6| of the hooks 53 is directed perpendicularly to the plane in which the particular strand the hook portion is to engage when the particularneedle hook is moved from its uppermost position so that the hooking action of the hooks 53 is most effective. This action is accentuated vby the forwardly directed shank portions 66 of the hooks 53, which project 4 the hook portions 6| farther over the strands to be hooked.

The action of the knitting mechanism 2| is best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. The needle 3| has just been moved to its lowermost position, as viewed in Fig. 6, and the hook 53 thereof has just been drawn downwardly through a loop 9| of a strand 92 previously formed by the needle 3 and has drawn the strand 12 through the loop 9| to form a loop 93 of the strand 12. It should be noted that the loop 93 does not come in contact with the needle guide cylinder 30 because of the enlarged portion 63 of the slot 62, which provides clearance for the loop 93 even though this loop is drawn into the slot 62 by the hook 53.

As the guide cylinder 39 is rotated in a direction in which the periphery thereof travels to the right, as viewed in Fig. 6, the needle 3| is moved upwardly to slide the loop 93 downwardly thereon, and the needle 32, which i just behind the needle 3| in its rotation, is moved downwardly from a position near its uppermost position, and

of the needle has a loop 94 of a strand around the shank 52 thereof. The hook portion 6| of the hook 53 of the needle 32 is directly over a feeder portion 96 of the strand 12 as the strand 12 is drawn from theguide 82 by the needle 3|. As the needle 32 is moved downwardly, the hook portion 6| thereof is'moved over the feeder portion 96 of the strand '12 by the rotation of the needle guide cylinder 30 and projects substantially perpendicularly through the plane in which the feeder portion 96 lies.

The hooking action of the hook 53 of the needle 32 is positive, which would not be true if the hook portion 6| thereof were directed at a smaller angle with respect to the plane in which the feeder portion 96 of the strand 12 lies at the instant the hook portion 6| engages it. Furthermore, the portion of the strand 12 over which the hook portion 6| is moved is lower than is the portion of strand which would be engaged if the needle were directed radially with respect to the needle guide cylinder. This prevents formation of drop stitches and makes the hooking action of the needles more positive. Since the portion of strand to be engaged is lower, faulty latch action will not cause drop stitches as the latch will push the strand under the hook and will not lose the strand. Also, since the hooks 53 are bent forward from the straight shanks 52 the hook portions 6| project farther over the feeder positions of the strands during the hooking actions so thatthere is less chance of one of the hooks missing a feeder portion.

The knitting mechanism 2| (Fig. 2) serves to form the strands illustrated by the strands I I, 12, and 92 into the fabric 10 (Fig. 3) so as to avoid imperfections in the fabric from any of the knitting needles 3| to 44, inclusive-missing the feeder portions of the strands, illustrated'bythe feeder portion 96, as the needles are moved downwardly in their reciprocations. The strands are not abraded by the edges of the slots as they are knitted into the fabric, which abrasion is prevented by the clearance provided by the enlarged portions 63 of the slots 62-while the slots 62 serve to positively guide the knitting needles in their reciprocations.

A knitting mechanism |2| (Figs. 7 and 8) forming an alternative embodiment of the invention is identical with the knitting mechanism 2| except that a needle guide cylinder I30 thereof differs from the needle guide cylinder 30 of aeoegsoo the knittingxmechanismit. Theneedle'guide cylinder I 30 .is: provided with :slots I'62 for guid ingneedles 131, which are :identical with the needles 3| to =44, inclusive. The slots, I52 a e positioned in the guide cylinder I30; identically with the'positions of the slots 62in the needle guide cylinder 30','but. are provided'witlishallow portions. IE3 at the upper ends thereof, which are formed by a relieved portion I32 of the needle guide cylinder. I30. zDeep'portions I64 of the slots I62, which are below the relieved portion I32 of the needle guide cylinder I30, effectively guide the needles I3I and the: guiding actions thereof are aidediby the shallow portions I63 of the slots I162. Hooks I53 of the needles I3I project forwardly sufliciently from straight shanks of these needles that when the needles are in their lowermostpositions, .as illustrated by the position of the needle I3I; shown in Fig. 8, hook portions. I6I of the hooks I53 donot enter the slots I62 at all. Hence, a'loop I93'of a strand I12, which loop has just been formed from a feeder. portion I96 of the strand I12, is not'drawn into any portion of the slot I S-2: so that there is no possibility of abrasion'of the loop I93 by the edges of the slot I62.

The operationof the knitting-mechanism I'ZI is identical with the operationof the knitting mechanism 2I (Fig. 2) exceptthat-the hook portions I6I of the knitting needles I3I do not enter the slots I62 in the needle guide cylinder I3!) at any time during the operation. Hence, wear of the strands knitted into the 'fabric by the needles is prevented.

It is believed-to be obvious that the-abovedescribedembodiments of the'invention may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scopeof the-invention, as defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. In amach-ine for-knitting's'trandmaterial about a core, a rotatableneedle ,g uide cylinder having non-radial guideways, formed therein. reciprocable knitting needles positioned in said guideways with the hooks of theneedles'directed non-radiall with respect to the guide cylinder, and means for feeding the strand of material to the hook of the needle, each of said hooks being positioned to face somewhat in the direction of rotation of the cylinder and adapted to engage the strand out of contact with the guide cylinder when the needles are reciprocated in knitting the strand material into a fabric about a core.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle guide cylinder having a plurality of guide slots disposed non-radially therein, each of said guide slots being directed along equally spaced and equal length chords of the needle guide cylinder and facing somewhat in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, a plurality of hooked knitting needles mounted reciprocably in the guide slots, the portion of said slots adjacent to the hooks being enlarged circumferentially, said needles adapted to draw a loop of a strand into the enlarged portion of the slots without contacting the walls thereof, and means for reciprocating the needles in the slots.

3. In a machine for knitting strand material about a core, the combination of a rotatable needle guide cylinder having a plurality of guide slots disposed non-radially therein, each of said guide slots being directed along equally spaced and equal length chords of the needle guide cylinder and a plurality of knitting needles mounted reciprocablyain the: guide slots, each; of said needles. having a forwardly vbenthook por-. tion facing in the .direction'of'rotation of the cylinder adaptedto positively engage said strand out of contact with the needle guide slots inthe cylinder when the needles are reciprocated' to knitthest-rand material about a core. 7

4-. Ina knitting machine, including. means for supplying strands, the combination of a. plurality of.needles having forwardly bent hook portions,'a needle guide cylinder having a plurality of slots formed therein, each of said slots serving to receive one of the needles, the portion of the needleguide cylinder including the walls of the slotsiadjacent'to the hooks of the needles being relieved circumferentially to, prevent abrasion-by the needle guide cylinder of strands engaged by the hook: portions of the needless-aid nee'dlesada-ptedto draw a loop of a strand into the relieved portion of a slot without. contacting the sides thereof,wand means for rotating the needle guide cylinder in a'predetermined directiongsaid slots in the needle guide cylinderbeing directed laterally forward in the. direction "of rotation.

'5. In aknitting machine including meanszfor advancing a core, a plurality of cop-holders for mounting a plurality of cops of strand, a plurality:

of needle jacks, vmeans for reciprocating the needle jacks, arotatable jackcylinder forv guiding the jacks, the combination of a plurality of knitting needleslhaving hooks thereon .-.and also being engaged by theneedle jacks and recip-- rocable therewith, meansfor guiding the needles in their reciprocations and for revolving the needles around thecore advanced by the advancing means, and stationary means. for guiding the said strands to'some of the: needles'along predetermined paths,'sa-id needle-guiding means serving to retain the needles in'positions in which thehook'of each needle isdirected substantially perpendicularly to'a plane in which lies a portion of one of the strands which the hook of that needle isiintended to .engagewhen it; is moved toward that. strand.

6. In a knitting machine including a plurality of cop-holders for mounting a plurality of cops of strand, a plurality of knitting needles having hooks for engaging the strands, a plurality of jacks for positively engaging the knitting needles, a jack cylinder having guide portions spaced along a circle for mounting the jacks, means for advancing a core through the jack cylinder, means for rotating the jack cylinder around the core to revolve the jacks around the core, stationary means for guiding strands from the cops to substantially alternate ones of the knitting needles and means for reciprocating the jacks to reciprocate the needles, said reciprocating means serving to reciprocate the jacks in such a manner that when one of the needles is near one end of its reciprocation the needles immediately adjacent thereto are at the opposite ends of their reciprocations, the combination which comprises a needle guide cylinder positioned coaxially with respect to the jack cylinder and rotatable therewith for revolving the needles around the core, said needle guide cylinder being provided with a plurality of needle-orienting slots lying in planes non-radial to the guide cylinder for mounting the needles so that the hooks thereof are substantially perpendicular to strands I they engage at the times the hooks engage the strands.

7. In a knitting machine including a plurality with a plurality of guide slots in the portion thereof near the periphery thereof, said slots extending laterally outwardly with respect to the center of the needle guide cylinder, longitudinally upwardly and laterally in the direction of rotation, and a plurality of knitting needles reciprocable by the jacks and positioned in the slots in the needle guide cylinder, said needles being provided with hooks for knitting the strands into a tubular fabric, said needle guide cylinder being provided with relieved portions to provide clearance for strands engaged by the hooks of the knitting needles.

8. In a knitting machine including means for supplying strands, a rotatable needle guide cylinder having an annular outwardly projecting flange portion, said cylinder including the flange portion having a plurality of guide slotsdisposed non-radially and facing somewhat in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, a plurality of knitting needles mounted in said slots, said needles having forwardly bent hook portions which always remain outside of said slots and above said annular flange portion of the cylinder, and means for reciprocating the needles in the guide slots.

9'. In a knitting machine including means for supplying strands, a rotatable needle guide cylinder having a plurality of guide slots, each of said slots being disposed non-radially and faced somewhat in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, a plurality of hooked knitting needles mounted in said slots, the portion of said slots adjacent to the hooks being enlarged circumferentially, said needles adapted to draw a loop of a strand into the enlarged portion of a slot without contacting the walls thereof, and means for reciprocating the needles in the slots.

10. In a knitting machine including means for supplying strands, a rotatable needle guide cylinder having an outwardly projecting flange portion, said cylinder including the flange portion having a plurality of guide slots disposed nonradially and facing somewhat in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, a plurality of knitting needles mounted. in said slots, said needles adapted to draw a loop of a strand towards said flange without permitting the strand to contact the sides of said guide slots, and means for reciprocating the needles in the slots.

GEORGE E. HENNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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